


The One Where the Wrong One Answered the Door

by i_write_shakespeare_not_disney



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends Inspired, Friends to Lovers, M/M, One Night Stands, One Shot, Post-War, Suggestive, hidge, not explicit, slightly nsfw?, very light shatt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-15 20:24:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13621035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_write_shakespeare_not_disney/pseuds/i_write_shakespeare_not_disney
Summary: Pidge gets a little sad and a little drunk at her brother's wedding rehearsal which leads to her seeking out comfort from one of her friends. Except it gets a little... out of their control.ORIf any of you have seen FRIENDS, this may be a bit familiar. And the title makes sense to you haha.*The smut is not explicit it's more like... suggestive smut? implied smut? But if anyone's uncomfortable with it, know that it doesn't take up the whole thing.





	1. Chapter 1

Weddings were always a nice thing. They were beautiful, filled with dancing and hope. There were beautiful decorations and wonderful music. Most of all, it was wonderful to see her brother so happy.

Matt hadn’t stopped smiling for so long and it was only the rehearsal dinner. Pidge watched from her seat as Matt wrapped his arms around Shiro and laughed at some accidental screw up in the speeches.

“This is so wonderful isn’t it?” her mother said sitting beside her.

“Yeah. It’s great.”

“They’re so good together. I’m so happy you’re all back in time for me to see this.”

Pidge smiled and nodded. “Yeah, it’s good to be back, Mom.”

“What’s the matter?” she asked. Pidge grimaced, hating how perceptive she could be. She shook her head, but her mom took her hand and tugged. “Come on, talk to me, sweetie.”

She laughed and shook her head. “It’s fine, Mom. I’m just… I’m happy for Matt. But I’m also…. I guess lonely. Seeing Matt so happy is nice, but… he’s marrying _Shiro._ Someone just as traumatized and understanding about what we all went through. I’m never going to find anyone like that. How am I supposed to find a decent relationship when I’m playing catch up and dealing with ten years of war?”

“Well, don’t say that. What about those other boys that were part of it?”

Pidge scoffed. “Keith, Lance, and Hunk?” She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Right.”

Her mom laughed and hugged her tightly. “Well, it’s going to be your brother’s big day. Don’t worry, you have a long life ahead of you still. You’ll find someone one day. And even if you don’t, you’re a strong young woman. You don’t need anyone.”

She kissed her cheek and stood up, rushing to join her father and some of her relatives. Pidge sat in her seat as the words rang in her head. _I’m gonna die alone,_ she thought numbly.

“Yo, Pidge, why are you all alone over here?” Lance asked sliding into the seat beside her. “You don’t look like a wedding-goer.”

“It’s just a rehearsal.”

“Yeah. Which means…. An excuse to get drunk and eat everything before the big day!”

“That does sound tempting,” she mused.

Lance smiled and punched her shoulder lightly. “Come on.”

Pidge had never really drunk before. When they got back to Earth, she was too busy trying to figure out the paperwork of being a newly classified veteran, trying to figure out her education/job benefits, and basically trying to get used to human food and activities again. Then the Big Proposal happened. And for the last few months, she was helping plan the whole wedding with the other paladins.

So the bubbly champagne on the table was the first time she’d ever actually had a drink aside from that one time Matt let her try a beer to keep her quiet about his stash under the bed. It was disgusting. She hoped the champagne would be a little better.

And it was. A little. It didn’t leave such a bad taste, it was fizzy, and it wasn’t so bitter.

Maybe it was stupid. In the grand scale of things, it was really ridiculous. Was she really this upset about being single after ten years of war? And during her brother’s wedding? Sure she was twenty-five, had never dated, never even been kissed, but….

Okay, yeah it bugged her. She was lonely. She knew she didn’t _need_ anyone, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t _want_ to have someone. She wouldn’t mind… picnic dates, movie dates, waking up next to someone who’d hold her tight and whisper sweet romantic things. She wouldn’t mind having someone look at her the way Shiro looked at Matt.

That was the last thought she was really conscious of before everything got fuzzy. Everything else was just a series of snippets and tilting images. There was a lot of laughter. A lot of dancing with the paladins. A lot of food she couldn’t stop eating.

Eventually, she found herself in the bathroom, staring at the mirror. Jesus, she was twenty-five. _Twenty-five._ And barely experiencing real world things. She was drunk for the first time, and the high giddiness of it was wearing off fast, bringing the sad loneliness back at full force. She touched her lips, her hair, her neck. She was covered in scars and muscles and as shallow as it was, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was even pretty enough for someone to want.

Keith, Lance, and Hunk.

She was aware that it was the alcohol, the loneliness. But that didn’t stop her from walking up to the hotel room she knew Lance and Hunk were sharing. If she wanted a sweet one night stand to finally make her feel less ridiculous on a drunk night before her brother’s wedding, then she knew damn well where to get one.

She knocked on the door, her heart pounding in her ears as she felt her entire body flush and tingle. The doorknob began to move and she held her breath as the door opened.

“Pidge?”

She looked up and swallowed. “Hey, Hunk. What’s up?”

“Are you drunk?” he asked smiling.

“Nah. Can I come in?” He stepped aside and she walked in, trying to keep her focus. “So where’s Lance?”

“I’m not sure he hasn’t gotten back since I came up. You okay? You seemed kind of upset earlier.”

She shrugged and ran a hand through her hair. “Oh, you know, just… weddings. Making me think….” Hunk raised an eyebrow and sat on the bed, waiting patiently. Pidge sniffed and felt the sullenness coming back, bringing her high down more. “I’m never gonna get married.” She let out a huff of air and leaned against the desk. “It’s my brother’s wedding, and I’m being selfish, I know. But honestly, who would ever- I just….” She slumped her shoulders and laughed humorlessly. “I’m twenty-five and haven’t done anything beside get drunk off two and a half glasses of champa- my God I’m a fucking lightweight.”

“You said you weren’t drunk.” She glared at him, and Hunk laughed. “Come on, Pidge, you don’t believe that, do you?” She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “You’re the most badass girl out there. You snuck into a government facility for information about your family, snuck back in disguised as a boy, went to space, piloted a universal defender, kicked alien ass, decoded and encrypted countless databases. Any guy out there would be lucky to be with-”

Pidge didn’t really think about what she was doing. She just knew that Hunk’s words made her feel warm and he was sweet and she really, _really_ wanted to kiss him. So she did and she had to hold her breath when Hunk gently pushed her back and stared at her with wide eyes.

“Um…. What was that?”

Pidge gulped. “My first kiss?”

Hunk’s lips parted in surprise. “You…. I-I’m your first kiss?” She nodded and was very much aware of her hands on his shoulders. “Pidge, I’m… I’m honored. But you’re drunk, and-”

“Honestly, with the thinking and the shock, I’m not that drunk, just a little dizzy. So can you just-” She leaned in and kissed him again, pushing him back onto the bed, taking advantage of his shock.

Kissing was strange. She wasn’t totally sure what to do with her tongue, how or when to move her lips. Hunk was hesitant too, his hands firm on her sides. He pushed her back again when her hands slid into his hair. “Whoa, okay. Um… we’re kissing.”

“Not anymore, we’re not,” she grumbled.

“I don’t… I just… I don’t understand.”

“Have you not heard of a one night stand?”

“A-A one night… with _me?”_

Pidge groaned and let her head fall back. “Hunk, for the love of God, just kiss me and take off your clothes.”

“Pidge, we’re _friends._ Do you realize what you’re asking for?”

“Yes! I do! Who better to help me with my firsts than the closest friend I have?” She took a sharp breath and clambered off of him. “God, this is pathetic. I’m just throwing myself at you, and you obviously don’t want to do anything. I’m sorry.” She stood up too quickly, which made the room sway slightly.

She started to walk away, but she felt a hand wrap around her wrist and pull her back. “Pidge, wait.”

“Hunk, I already feel pathetic and stupid enough, just let me go,” she croaked, her voice breaking. She couldn’t believe she’d resorted to this, and it wasn’t even Hunk that-

Hunk pulled her into a hug and rested his chin on her head. “Pidge, I just…. I don’t want a one night stand to ruin our friendship. You’re beautiful, Pidge. And you’re not pathetic.”

He pulled away, brushed her hair back, and cupped her face. He smiled at her, waiting for her to give in and smile back. When she finally did, he kissed her forehead, making her scoff. Then he kissed her nose which made her giggle. She smiled at him, feeling relieved and… warm. Safe.

Her smile faded and she was acutely aware of Hunk’s eyes scanning her face. Then he was leaning in. His lips were pressed against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut and she didn’t have to think so much about what to do. She let her hands slide down his biceps and her breath trembled when he pulled her closer.

The door opened and they pulled apart, both taking a sharp breath. Pidge cleared her throat and Hunk rubbed the back of his neck as Lance sauntered in, making Pidge feel guilty.

“Hey Pidge, what’re you doing in here?” Lance asked, shuffling around his duffel bag.

“Nothing, just… rambling to Hunk.”

Lance sighed and stuffed something in his pocket before walking over to her. “Are you still upset about whatever was wrong earlier?” She huffed and crossed her arms.

“Is that a condom?” Hunk asked, catching him off guard as he grabbed whatever was in his pocket.

“Hey! Hunk!”

“Who are you planning to use this with?”

“None of your business!” he muttered, turning red. “Give it back.”

“Boy or girl?” Pidge asked, smirking.

“Guys!” he whined.

“Oh it’s a _guy,”_ Hunk laughed.

“Aw, fuck off, there’s more where those came from anyway.” He turned away, grabbing another from his duffel bag. He went to the door. “Don’t wait up!”

The door shut again and Pidge took a deep breath before looking back at Hunk. He was twirling the condom packet between his fingers before tossing it on the dresser.

Pidge was certain she was no longer drunk. Her body still buzzed, but it was because of Hunk. Because he was so close and he’d kissed her- _really_ kissed her. She ran her hands through her hair again and set beside him on the bed.

“It’s awkward now isn’t it?” she whispered.

“Just a bit,” he answered. “You realize… I haven’t necessarily gotten any action in the last ten years either, right? Or… before that.”

“I was being selfish,” she sighed. “ I know.” She bit her lip and leaned against him. “It’s already weird. What if we just…. Okay, maybe we could just… be each other’s first. It’ll get the awkwardness out of the way, and… we can say we’ve done it. Then… we just pretend nothing happened.”

“Is that a good idea?”

“It’s on the table,” she said with a shrug.

She pressed her legs together, feeling too warm, too starved. She saw Hunk gulp, he moved his hand and Pidge blushed when she saw that he was blocking his crotch.

“I should go to my room,” she sighed, feeling her cheeks redden. The alcohol had worn off and she was fully aware of the repercussions her actions would have.

But again, Hunk pulled her back, making her stand in front of him as he held her hands gently. “Are you still drunk?”

“That wore off a while ago.” He hummed and licked his lips, looking up at her. She bit her lip and leaned down, hesitating.

Hunk’s hands slid up her back, his breath warm against her lips, and her body reacted quickly. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin, felt her breaths turn heavy and shallow, her hands began to tremble. She felt warmth pool in her abdomen.

Hunk pulled her down more to kiss her and let his hands slide to the straps of her dress. Before he could slide them away, she chuckled and turned around. “You have to get the zipper first, genius,” she whispered.

Hunk let out a nervous chuckle and slid the zipper down. “Hey, new at this, remember?”

He turned her back and slid down the fabric. Pidge felt a bit self-conscious since she’d never really filled out as best as she could. She was small-breasted, and her figure seemed torn between curvy and rectangular. She wasn’t much to look at in comparison to several women on Earth with voluptuous figures, small waists, smooth skin.

But Hunk didn’t seem to care. He pulled her arms over his shoulders and leaned in, kissing the overheated skin. It felt foreign and… nice. Pidge bit her lip and tried to keep her trembling under control, and everything felt magnified.

“Are you okay?” She nodded and slipped her dress the rest of the way off. “Whoa,” he breathed.

“Shut up,” she grumbled.

He smiled at her, pulled her onto him, and slowly turned to lay her against the bed.

He pulled himself over her, kissing her again and letting his hands trail along the side of her body. He began to kiss the side of her neck which tickled until he slid his tongue against the skin. She gasped and gripped his shirt, pulling him closer. And then his teeth grazed her skin and she couldn’t help but moan and cover her mouth.

Everything was so new. It was all so… intense. And awkward. Most of all, awkward.

The build up was weird. The sex itself was weird. Being touched and touching someone was weird.

But it was… good. It was nice. Soft. Hunk was gentle, he kept asking her if she was okay, he stopped when it was overwhelming, he held her close. It never felt impersonal, she didn’t feel like she was being used, she didn’t feel stupid.

It wasn’t like the movies or the songs made it out to be. It wasn’t something that lasted all night or something that was particularly beautiful. There were funny sounds, and it was more like… sessions. It was messy and it was gross and sticky, but it was fine because she trusted Hunk and he was familiar and comfortable.

He laughed with her, and tickled her. And when it was all over, he cuddled her and talked with her. Their voices were soft and tired, but it was comforting using his arm as a pillow.

The next morning, she sat up in bed, with a headache and a very jarring realization of what she had done the night before and… with who.

Her thighs hurt and the joint between her legs and her hipbone were sore and her… area stung just a bit. She felt sticky and dirty and felt like she smelled like sex and saliva and sweat.

She and Hunk.

_She and Hunk. Had sex._

“Are you okay?”

She gasped and brought the covers closer to her chest. “Jesus,” she breathed. “Yeah. Just…. It’s hitting me.”

“Did we fuck up?”

She took a breath and stared at the room. A room that had born witness to a first kiss, to the loss of their “virginity,” and held the moans and gasps from them both just a handful of hours earlier. “No. We just fucked.”

Hunk groaned and sat up, offering Pidge his shirt from the night before. “Are we-”

The door was thrown open and Pidge covered herself up with the shirt and the covers, feeling Hunk’s arm over her, concealing the bump of her body. “Hunk, I’m getting married today!” Pidge cringed at the sound of Matt’s voice.

“Yeah! So exciting!”

“Isn’t it!?”

“I gotta change though, so….”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Ugh, I’m so excited!”

The door shut and Pidge scrambled out from under the sheets. “You think he knew I was here?”

“I’m sure he had more… pressing things on his mind. Oh my God. I slept with my friend’s sister.”

Pidge took another breath and rubbed her face. “I should go. Lance will probably be back soon, and I have to get ready.”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

She tightened the shirt around her, picked up her shoes and her dress, then left the room, hurrying to her room.

\--

She didn’t feel all that different. She didn’t feel like she’d had some big revelation, or like she’d reached a milestone. She’d had sex and that was that. It was a simple fact. Once she’d taken a shower, there wasn’t much besides a slight soreness in her thighs to remind her of what had happened the night before.

At least until the ceremony started.

“Matt, I need you to breathe.”

“I’m breathing.”

“Breathe slower.” Pidge snapped her fingers in front of his face and refocused him. “Hey. It’s okay. We’ve been through worse than a wedding, right? You’re marrying the love of your life, why are you panicking?”

“What if I mess up? What if I say something out of order, or I can’t stop shaking-”

“Guys, come on, it’s about to start,” Lance said, interrupting them. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” she answered. “Hey. Listen, I’m gonna be right behind you, okay? You’ve got this. Now let’s get you married.”

While the wedding went on, Pidge couldn’t help but look over at Hunk who eventually met her eyes. He smiled and she smiled back, feeling incredibly relieved.

When the reception began, Hunk tapped her shoulder and asked her to dance. Which was fine.

Except it made her stomach flip and her heartbeat quicken. But that was just the excitement of the wedding. She joined him on the dancefloor and struggled to keep her eyes busy.

“And here I thought it’d get awkward,” he said, leading her into a gentle turn.

She sighed and shook her head. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I’m just… overwhelmed, I guess.”

“It’s okay. You’re not ignoring me, so.”

“I would never,” she said, slightly offended that he thought her capable of asking him to have sex with her then turn around and ignore him. “You’re my best friend.”

“So we’re pretending it didn’t happen when we get home, huh?” She nodded. “Well what do we do for the rest of the weekend we’re here?”

She froze and looked up at him, her lips parting in shock, her cheeks turning red, and warmth pooling in her gut.

She supposed that’s how they ended up in her hotel room that night. And the next morning. And the next night. And again just before check out.

She felt so… reckless.

All of a sudden, she just couldn’t keep Hunk out of her mind. For more than their “experimental sex” as they called it. It was his laugh and the cuddles after sex and the way he made her laugh and the soft looks he’d give her just before falling asleep. The comfort of his arms, of his encouragements when Pidge ended up freaking out over what would happen once she got home and had to actually get her life together.

All of a sudden going home, the end of the weekend, the end of their fantasy… it was unbearable to think of.

But that didn’t stop it from happening. Before long, she was back home in a small apartment and feeling lonelier than ever. It wasn’t like they all lived separately. They lived relatively close to each other in housing provided by the Garrison.

Still, Pidge was falling asleep alone every night, with only blankets to provide warmth.

About a week after they’d gotten back home, Pidge got a call from Hunk.

“Are you busy right now?”

“Um. I’m eating Cheerios out of the box and playing Plants vs. Zombies on my PS4 in my underwear if that counts?” she answered. He chuckled and she could imagine him either shaking his head and looking up at the ceiling with a roll of his eyes. “Why what’s up?”

“Can I stop by?”

“Uh, sure. Door’s open when you get here.”

She hung up and continued to play, trading Cheerios for potato chips. The front door opened and Pidge looked over her shoulder, seeing Hunk come in with Starbucks cups. “I got you a caramel frap.” She paused her game and scrambled up to get her coffee from him. “Is that my shirt?”

She looked down at the oversized shirt she was wearing that fell to the middle of her thighs when she didn’t have it tied at her hip like she did now. “You left in my room at the hotel. I kept forgetting to give it back.” He raised an eyebrow. “I also didn’t want to. It’s cozy.”

He laughed and sat beside her on the couch. “Have you heard from Matt?”

“Mm, I don’t think the little sister is very much of a priority during a honeymoon,” she mused. He nodded and ran his hand through his hair. “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing. You gonna finish that game?”

She narrowed her eyes at him and then returned to her game. She felt giddy and nervous at Hunk being with her in her home. Not in a bad way… just a way she knew she shouldn’t feel.

A few minutes into the game, she felt Hunk’s fingers press into the skin on her thigh, making her shiver and a take in a sharp breath. She looked down and blushed as he traced the hickeys still fading there.

“These are really sticking.” She gulped and met his eyes. “What about the others?”

She bit her lip and lifted her shirt, exposing her stomach. “Fading too.” He hummed and pulled his hand away, but she didn’t want him to. She took a breath and pulled herself up on her knees, facing him. “I’ll miss seeing them. The weekend went by fast, huh?”

He nodded and place a hand on her hip, and she smiled. “You think… maybe we could…. One more time without worrying about someone coming to find us?”

Pidge answered by throwing her leg over him and kissing him, feeling excited and anxious and relieved. Hunk carried her back to her bedroom, falling onto the bed with her and making her burst into a fit of laughter as he tickled her neck with kisses. It wasn’t as awkward. It wasn’t so rushed.

It was the best time yet. Every move slow and deliberate and perfect.

When they had caught their breath and huddled together the blankets kicked at their feet, Pidge leaned her cheek into his chest and sighed. She wouldn’t be able to sleep in her bed, knowing it would smell like him. That it would smell like them together.

“Hunk.” He took a breath and hummed, tired and half-asleep.

“What are we doing?” she whispered. She pulled herself up, looked down at him. “What is this? We both know… this isn’t where it’s stopping.”

Hunk looked at her, brushed her hair back with light fingers, and Pidge pressed into the touch. “I don’t know. I just know that since that first night, I can’t stop thinking about you. And I don’t want it to end. I like seeing you like this.” He smiled and ran his thumb over her lip. “Tousled haired, glowing, flushed. I like seeing you wear my shirts while you play video games. I like seeing you dance in dresses. I like seeing you in sweats, laughing at the movies we watch.” With his other hand, he took hers and wove their fingers together. “I like holding your hand and when you fall asleep on my chest. I like waking up to you and falling asleep talking to you.”

“Get to the point, Hunk,” Pidge whispered, unable to contain her smile or her flustered blush.

“I like you, Katie Holt. And I’d like this to be a real, official thing. Not just… experimental firsts.”

Pidge smiled and lifted their interlocked hands to her lips. “Yeah, I’d like that too.”

She leaned down to kiss him, laughing when he rolled them over and began peppering her with feather light kisses all over her face. “Are we telling anyone?” he whispered, brushing their noses together.

“We could. Or we could see how long it takes them to figure it out just to fuck with them.”

“Oh, that sounds fun.”

“Yeah. Your new girlfriend’s a fucking genius.” Hunk smiled and kissed her again, holding her tighter, encasing Pidge in warmth.

No, Pidge didn’t need this. But she wanted it. And now she had it. She had Hunk.


	2. The One Where Matt Finds Out

It’d been three months since the wedding. Three months since Pidge knocked on a hotel door and had an experience that changed everything.

Her first sense to begin working in the morning was smell. She could smell something being cooked, something savory and salty with a hint of sweetness… breakfast sausage?

Then it was her hearing. She could hear something sizzling, and she could hear the radio playing in the kitchen, she could hear his voice singing along to the words and it brought a smile to her face.

Then her sight. She opened her eyes, squinting against the sunlight that assaulted her eyes through the cracks in the blinds of her window. She saw the indent of Hunk’s head in the pillow beside her and sighed.

Then her sense of touch. She felt the soft fabric of the covers wrapped around her legs and the cool air of the A/C hitting her bare back. She felt the comforting ache in legs and the tangles in her hair as she sat up, looking around her.

She got up from the bed and put her hair up into a bun before tossing on Hunk’s sweater because she was cold and his sweaters always encased her in warmth and well his scent too. She brushed her teeth then left the room, walking to the kitchen and leaning against the wall as she watched him cook.

His shirt hugged his frame, showing off broad shoulders and the curved of muscles in his arms. She smiled and walked over, wrapping her arms around his middle and leaning into his back.

“Morning,” he said, turning to wrap an arm around her and kiss her lightly on the lips.

“Why do you wake up so early?” she grumbled as she hopped onto the counter. Hunk chuckled and turned away for a moment. When he returned, he had a cup of coffee for her which made Pidge blush and smile. “You’re perfect.”

“My mom always said food was the way to a girl’s heart.”

“She was right.”

Hunk smiled at her and pulled out some plates before serving the food. They took it to the couch where they searched for something decent to watch on the TV while eating. In the end, they’d finished their food without finding anything. But that was normal for a Saturday.

And like every Saturday lately, after breakfast, Pidge found herself in Hunk’s lap, kissing him lazily between whispers and laughter and blushing cheeks. They ended up in her bed again and honestly, she had no idea how she’d gone so long without realizing what she had in front of her.

“You taste like breakfast,” Hunk mumbled against her lips.

“Don’t be gross,” she chided, playfully pushing him away. He opted to burrow his face in her neck instead, making her laugh. “One more?”

“You’re gonna be the death of me.”

She laughed and shrugged. “Seems like a good way to go.” Hunk gave her a beaming smile before kissing her.

Somewhere between whines and pants and stifled curses, a phone rang. Pidge’s phone. She ignored it, but it started up again, making her groan as she used shaking limbs to shuffle off of Hunk and reached for her phone on the dresser. Matt.

“Hello?” she answered, her voice a lot steadier than she felt.

“Jeez Pidge, you’re still asleep? It’s almost one!”

She snorted and looked over at Hunk who was looking at her with a mix of frustrated longing and curious confusion. “It’s also a Saturday. What’s up?”

“Well, I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out? I haven’t really been with you since I got back from the honeymoon and Shiro’s hanging out with Keith.” Pidge’s heart swelled and she had to admit she missed hanging out with her brother. They used to spend every day together especially when planning the wedding, and then it just stopped. “I can pick you up in an hour?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll see you soon, then. Love you, Matt.”

“Love you too, Pidgeon.”

She hung up and went back to Hunk wrapping the blankets around them. “My brother misses me.”

“Have I been stealing you away?” Hunk whispered into her hair, hands gently caressing her sides. She hummed and shook her head. “How long till he gets here?”

“An hour,” she yawned. “I can get ready in like twenty minutes, though.”

“So you’re telling me I have forty minutes?”

She smirked and took his lip between her teeth. “Show me what you’ve got, babe.” Hunk laughed and kissed her again as Pidge barely managed to turn her clock just enough to see the time before he scooped her into his arms.

\--

“Jesus, remind me to give you limited time more often,” Pidge breathed as she got dressed, still feeling dizzy and weak. Hunk snorted and tugged on his shoes. Pidge brushed through her hair with her fingers as he walked over to her.

He tilted her face up and kisses her. “When are you going to tell Matt?”

She hummed and shrugged. “Eventually. I never dated before, and he’s pretty cool about everything. I just… don’t know how he’ll react to us. But it’s been pretty fun messing with Keith and Lance.”

“They’re both so dense, I’m surprised they still haven’t caught on.”

She laughed and threw her arms around his neck. “I’ll figure out a way. I promise. Just be a little patient.”

“Alright,” he relented, leaning in to kiss her. “See you later.”

As he left, Pidge went to the bathroom to make sure any hickies or bite marks were covered up. She was a little annoyed that she had to wear jeans instead of shorts because of the bruises in the shape of fingertips that littered her thigh. It was too hot to be dealing with jeans. But it would’ve been worse to have Matt notice them and know Pidge was up to something with someone.

She still looked hazy and blissed out since she hadn’t given herself time to recuperate and simply kept moving, a task which her legs were definitely angry with her for. But it proved good timing when her phone chimed with a message from Matt saying he was on his way.

A few minutes later, Matt was knocking on her door and engulfing her in a hug. “How’s the married life treating you?” she asked with a smirk as she locked her door and followed him out.

He laughed and shrugged. “It’s nice. It’s normal, you know?” She hummed. She had a good idea of what he meant. “I’m waiting on the day that the arguments over bills and holiday dinners start.”

“Those are oddly specific.”

“Mom and Dad always argued over that. Or the TV. I dunno.” She laughed and shook her head. They got into his car and Matt drove over to the mall where they window shopped for a bit and Pidge asked about Japan where Matt had gone for his honeymoon. Most of the day was filled with mindless chatter and sibling banter. Once they were too tired, Matt drove over to an ice cream place nearby. “So how’ve you been? What have you been up to?”

She took a spoonful of ice cream and shrugged. “Not much. Working, playing video games, hanging out with Hunk. Getting used to having my own life.”

“Well, you look happier.” She furrowed her eyebrows and gave him a look. “Seriously. There’s a bounce to your step and you smile more often. You don’t need a reason anymore.”

“Um, thanks, I think?”

He chuckled and looked down at his ice cream. “I’m just saying it’s nice to see you’re holding up okay. Mom told me you were a little down during the rehearsal.”

Pidge grimaced and groaned. “Seriously? Ugh, this is why I don’t vent.” She sniffed and shrugged, eating more ice cream. “But yeah, I’m okay.”

“Did you hear that Keith and Lance started dating?” She choked on her ice cream and had to cough for a moment while Matt laughed. “I take that as a no.”

“Since when?” she choked out.

Matt shrugged. “I dunno. Lance told me. I think that’s why Keith met up with Shiro today. I thought he’d have told you.”

“I haven’t seen him in two weeks. We were supposed to have a game night, but he bailed. Probably for Keith, that slippery little shit,” she muttered. She figured she wasn’t one to talk since she and Hunk had been hiding their relationship for months. Still. Lance was a little shit.

“Well, I guess everyone’s been out of touch since we got back. I’m not surprised you and Hunk still hang out though.” She scoffed at the irony of that and ate more of her ice cream. “You know we haven’t had a game night in a while. We should have one of our own.”

“Aw, you really do miss me,” she teased. Matt pinched her and ruffled her hair affectionately. “I left my controller at Hunk’s though, so I need to go get it.”

“We can play with Hunk too. It’d be rude to just stop at his place for a controller.” Pidge nodded. “So, how work? Anything new in your world in the last three months?”

Pidge hummed and wondered how she was supposed to bring Hunk up. For one, her brother would be upset she didn’t tell him sooner. Another thing was… how was she supposed to tell him they started dating? She couldn’t just say, _Yeah we fucked around during your wedding weekend because I felt lonely but then realized we couldn’t keep our hands off each other._ Jesus Christ.

“Pidge?” She hummed and Matt frowned. “You okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah, sorry. Um… well. Not much really. After years of fighting a real life Star Wars, Earth just… gets a little boring.”

Matt nodded sympathetically and took her hand. “Well, at least we’re not risking our lives anymore.” She smiled and nodded. “To us and being normal and boring,” he said lifting his ice cream cup. Pidge nudged hers with his and smiled.

\--

Pidge let Hunk know that they’d be stopping by to play video games, which he didn’t mind. There was a lilting question in Hunk’s voice he opened the door, and Pidge could only shake her head very subtly.

“Hunk, how’ve you been? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Hunk hugged him back and chuckled. “I know. It’s weird not hanging out with you all the time like we used to. What’s marriage like?”

“It’s not that different from dating, except now I have a ring to show off,” he answered with a shrug and a smile. “He’s currently discussing Keith’s new relationship with Lance. Did he tell you about that?”

“What? No, I didn’t get told.”

“It’s been going for a while, I think. Based on what Lance said.”

Hunk frowned and sat on the couch. “I don’t know why he wouldn’t have told me. We talk often enough.” He shook his head and shrugged. “Well, hey go ahead and pick a game. Pidge, your controller is next to the console.”

For a few hours, they played video games and did their best to sabotage each other while playing. Pidge laughed until her stomach hurt, more than happy when the nostalgia of hanging out with Matt and Hunk hit her as they sprawled across Hunk’s living room. It had been a lot like this back on the castle ship, and if Pidge were honest she missed it. Not the fighting, but the moments like these. Moments when Lance would insist on having her and Hunk and Allura joining him on the face mask routine which- as much as she insisted she hated- was actually pretty fun. She missed sparring with Keith because he never went easy on her or Shiro- who was now her brother-in-law which was funny in retrospect- nagging her to eat and not sleep in.

This moment felt a little more like routine, it felt familiar.

She was sitting comfortably with her back against Matt’s arms and her feet in Hunk’s lap, going against Hunk for the game when Matt laughed out loud and leaned over to hit Hunk’s arm. “Dude did a vamp suck on your neck or something?”

Hunk’s hand flew to his neck, which gave Pidge the perfect in to beat him at the game. “Ha! Take that, motherfu- wait what?” She belatedly processed Matt’s words and felt her face go red.

“Very funny. It’s not even that big.”

Matt shoved Pidge off unceremoniously and poked at Hunk’s neck despite Hunk slapping his hand away. “You have more than one! Dude! Spill! You got a girl? Or is it a boy? Never really knew who you were into.”

Hunk stared between the Holt siblings, one looking at him expectantly, the other panicked. “…No?”

“A one night stand?” Matt yelped. “ _Hunk._ Details.” Matt shook Pidge and gestured at Hunk. “Make him tell us.”

“What? Why me?” she answered indignantly.

“Fine then you tell me.”

“What do I know!”

Matt groaned and looked at Hunk. “Well, was she good?”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that.” Pidge jerked back and crossed her arms. “What?”

“I dunno,” she said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “ _Was_ she?”

“Seriously?” Hunk groaned and rubbed his face. “That’s not what I meant-”

“Yikes, that means no,” Matt snickered. Pidge raised an eyebrow.

“No it doesn’t! I just don’t want to talk about that with you.” Hunk tossed Matt the controller. There was a moment of silence as Pidge reset the game. “That’s like me asking you to indulge in the details of your sex life with Shiro.”

“Well-”

“Ah! _La-la la la-la!”_ Pidge yelped, covering her ears. “Nope! Don’t wanna hear that. I have to pee.” She stood up, shuddering at the idea of hearing about Matt’s… endeavors. Nope.

She used the bathroom and washed her hands, but before she left, she stared at herself in the mirror. She did want to tell Matt. She just didn’t know how. She’d been with Hunk for about two hours now and hadn’t gotten a single kiss, hadn’t been able to snuggle up beside him or at least sit in his lap while she completely destroyed him in the game.

She didn’t like it. It felt like they were in a fight or something. And it’s not like they were hiding it because they were ashamed…. It was just a fun little game. Now it was just getting harder to come out and say it.

Suddenly the sound of Hunk shouting, _“Katie!”_ made her jump and she left the bathroom quickly. She was confused when she found Hunk using the couch as a barrier between him and a very furious Matt. “Help!”

“What the fuck are you doing with that, you pervert!” Matt shouted. “Katie, get over here!”

“What the hell is going on?” she shouted over them as they scurried around the couch. Matt scrambled onto the couch as a shortcut and Hunk moved behind Pidge using her as a shield.

“Get your hands off her!”

Immediately, Hunk let her go, but remained behind her. “Matt! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“He has a picture of you sleeping on his phone!” He turned red, whether from anger or embarrassment. “ _Naked.”_

Pidge felt her stomach drop and sighed. She looked at Hunk and put a hand on her hip. “Is he talking about your screensaver?” Hunk nodded. “Oh God.”

“My phone lit up, what was I supposed to do?” he muttered.

“You _knew?”_

Pidge looked at Hunk again and then took a deep breath. “Okay, Matt, calm down. Yeah, I knew. And it’s not naked, okay, I have a fucking blanket on- whatever! Yeah. Yeah. It’s just… um….” She laughed nervously and spread her hands out to say _surprise!_ “Me and Hunk are sort of….”

“Wait. The one night stand. _Was my sister?”_ Matt shouted, starting for Hunk again, but Pidge pushed him back.

“No! Matt, stop it!” She sighed and put her hands on his shoulders, keeping him back and also reassuring him. “We’re not… just a fling. Okay, we’re actually dating.”

Matt frowned and looked between them. “Since when? You said there was nothing new going on!”

“I didn’t know how to tell you,” she said. “We started dating about a week after the wedding.”

“What do you mean you didn’t know? Just… ‘Hey Matt, I started dating my best friend.’ You know like when I told you about Shiro?” he snapped.

She rolled her eyes and blushed. “Because! It didn’t… exactly… start off traditionally….” She grimaced as Matt processed the words.

He rubbed his face and winced. “O- _oh._ Oh God. Ew. Okay. Now I get why Hunk didn’t want to answer me earlier.” He turned away and ran his hands through his hair. “So this is serious?”

Pidge looked at Hunk and smiled. He took her hand and nodded. “Yeah. Really serious.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“Nope,” Pidge chuckled awkwardly. “It started off like a game because we wanted to see how long until Lance and Keith realized it, but… they haven’t exactly caught on, so…. We’ll tell them when they tell us about their getting together.” She shrugged. “Come on, it’s getting late and… I have a feeling we need to talk.”

Matt scoffed and gave her a look that said enough. “Alright. Sorry for trying to attack you, buddy.”

“It’s cool,” Hunk answered with a nervous smile. Pidge squeezed his hand. “Drive safe.”

“I will. We’ll talk later, yeah?” Hunk nodded as Matt walked to the front door.

Pidge turned to him and laughed. “I told you to change that picture,” she chided.

“But you look so cute and peaceful.” He showed her the screen. She was sleeping soundly on her stomach in her bed, her hair splayed out, and her shoulders hunched as she wrapped the thin sheets around her. “You can’t even see anything.” She hummed and rolled her eyes. “Let me know how that talk goes.”

“You bet,” she said with a smile. “I’ll talk to you later. Now give me a kiss because I’ve been holding back.” Hunk laughed and leaned down to kiss her fondly, cupping her face gently. Pidge smiled and nudged her nose against his. “Finally,” she whispered. “Okay, I gotta go. Bye.” She pecked his lips one more time before hurrying out to join Matt in the car.

Hunk waved at them before shutting the door and Matt started driving back to her place. It was a quiet ride which made it… so very awkward. Matt followed her into her apartment and sat across her at the small dining table.

“Are you mad?”

“No.”

“You sound mad.”

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “No. I’m not. Really. I like Hunk. And frankly, if you asked me, he’d be my first pick for you. I know that… you were eventually gonna start having sex, I just… you’re still my little sister and I feel protective.” She winced and nodded. “I just want to be sure you’re being careful. In every sense, I mean. Relationship wise, sex wise, with yourself. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Hunk wouldn’t hurt me,” she whispered.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just…. It’s your first relationship right? I don’t want you to rush into things because you just want to experience them. And… I’m worried that this is just a result of you having felt lonely on the wedding day, and I don’t want that to come between you and Hunk as friends. I don’t want you to get knocked up before you want to, I don’t want you depending on a relationship to be happy.”

Pidge sighed and put her head in her hands. “That’s not what I’m doing, Matt.” She looked up and clenched her jaw. “I know I don’t need a relationship. I don’t need one to be whole or whatever other sappy romance shit comes from TV. Yeah, I was lonely. Now I’m not, and even though I don’t need a relationship, it’s nice having one. I know Hunk like the back of my hand, and I’m happy with him. I’m comfortable. I don’t have to pretend to be someone else, and he knows me better than anyone except maybe you. And yeah, I’m smart enough to know what precautions to take to not end up pregnant, thanks.” She shifted in her seat and ran a hand through her hair.

She stared at the wall for a bit and tried to keep herself calm. Matt furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head. “What is it?”

Pidge took a deep breath. She looked at Matt and grimaced. “I have a confession. You know how I said we didn’t exactly start out in a very traditional way?” Matt nodded. “I went to his hotel room the night before the wedding. I was a drunk lightweight and I was sad and lonely, and Mom made me feel like maybe I ‘d just have to learn to live with being alone and be okay with that, and that… felt shitty.” She paused and stared at the table. “But it wasn’t Hunk I was looking for.”

“ _What?”_

Pidge covered her face and groaned. “I know, it sounds awful! But it was supposed to be this one time thing to make me feel better, and Lance had talked to me when he saw me getting upset, and he’s so good at being a romantic and I figured, ‘hey, he’d probably be cool with acting a little sappy then moving on like nothing happened,’ so yeah I went to the freaking room looking for Lance, but Lance wasn’t there, Hunk was.”

“Jesus Christ, Katie.”

“Don’t let me off the hook that easy,” she muttered sarcastically.

Matt scoffed and shook his head. “What! No! I didn’t mean to…. I’m sorry. I just… I’m processing. I take it Hunk doesn’t know that?” She shook her head. “Would this have happened if it had been Lance that opened the door?”

She frowned and shook her head. “No. No way. Lance is my friend and all, but…. I don’t have the connection with him like I have with Hunk. Lance would’ve laughed it off, moved on, I don’t know. Hunk…. Hunk is who I’m meant to be with. And honestly? After Voltron and finding all these aliens and meeting Slav and having been to an alternate reality…. I’m not really struggling with the idea of it being fate. Hunk was supposed to be the one answering the door. Not Lance.”

Matt chuckled and rubbed his face. “You have a point there.” He sighed and looked at his sister. “You can always talk to me, Pidge. About anything, okay? I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Pidge scoffed and flipped her hair back. “Please. You’re talking to the green paladin. I can handle it.”

He smiled and punched her arm. “Yeah, but I’m still your big brother. I’m always gonna want to protect my little sister, no matter how much of a badass she is.”

She smiled and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “Thanks, Matt,” she managed to whisper past the knot in her throat. “I love you.”

\--

The next day, Pidge was cleaning up the apartment a bit when a knock came at her door. She opened it to see Hunk and smiled when he leaned in to kiss her.

“How’d the talk go?” he asked, tugging at her ponytail.

“It went well. It was… very emotional,” she chuckled. “He wasn’t upset or anything.”

Hunk hummed and nodded. “I didn’t think he’d be. He came to talk to me today.”

Pidge winced and looked up at him. “Did he give you the whole ‘if you hurt my sister, I hurt you’ thing?”

Hunk laughed and shook his head. He tugged on a loose strand of hair that had fallen in her face. “No, actually. He made it very clear that if I ever hurt you, you would have no problem kicking my ass.” Pidge snorted and hid her face in his chest. His hand rubbed up and down her back affectionately, and she hummed as he kissed the top of her head. “Pidge?” he whispered. She looked up and felt his hand stroke her cheek. “You know I would never, ever hurt you, right?”

She smiled and nodded, pressing her cheek into his hand. “You make me really happy, Hunk.”

“That’s good to hear.” He tilted her face up and she opened her eyes. “Why don’t we go out for burgers and milkshakes? You look like you could use a break.” Pidge smiled and nodded, leaning up on her toes to kiss him. Then she went to her room and changed, quickly brushing through her hair and touching up her face so she didn’t look like she’d stayed up until morning hours scrolling through her phone the night before.

Hunk took her to a local joint with a fifties vibe, full with roller-skaters bring the food and authentic milkshakes. She couldn’t stop laughing or smiling which wasn’t new with Hunk. They’d always had this type of dynamic. He was someone she could understand and someone who understood her. She loved Keith and Lance to bits, but Hunk had always held a special place in her heart as someone who understood her in a way the others just didn’t.

As she listened to him talk and watched him smile, she wondered again how she could’ve gone so long without realizing that the most perfect person for her in the whole universe was right there from the start. Her best friend.

When they returned to Hunk’s apartment, they started watching movies and Pidge cuddled up beside, promptly falling asleep against the warmth he provided. She wondered if this comfort, this level of perfect silence and soft kisses and mindless touches… was this what it was to love someone?

 


End file.
